How hard would it be for 2 or 3 NZ zoos to import a few Impala or Springbok between them from South Africa as they did with the Nyala a few ago that was a success!
Future of New Zealand Zoos (speculation / fantasy)
ElephasMaximus
Well-Known Member
I'd imagine that even though NZ zoos can import an extremely wide range of antelope species, they'd probably only want to import species that can be legally imported into Australia as well, because it's easier to maintain a breeding population spread across Australasia than it is to maintain one limited to NZ. Not all species would breed like Nyala.
impala were chosen by the ZAA as the antelope of choose a few years ago even though its not on our import list
I don't believe they've ever been held in Australian (or New Zealand) zoos. Werribee had plans for them in the mid 2000's but those likely fell out due to not having a bovid IRA at the time.
It's interesting the ZAA chose Impala out of all antelope species. They have little conservation value breeding wise. And they're not even on the live import list as you say!
I recall also sable antelopes were the other species of interest.One could say why did the ZAA import Nyala also a species of little conservation value?
I also wondered what the regional interest in Lowland nyala was. Especially since Zoos Victoria outlined a species criteria around the time they were imported that they definitely didn’t fit (not endangered, not enabling etc).
My assumption is like Indian antelope and the such like, they were identified as a species that could be paired with larger African ungulates within a mixed species setting; and as a species of low conservation value, were readily available in large numbers. We have so many ungulates populations founded on a pair or trio of founders. Lessons have clearly been learnt and this time, a decent sized founder base of nyala were imported.
This thread is for NZ zoos, not Australian zoos. I've deleted all the posts about Australian zoos, DDZ imports, TWZ onagers, etc etc - not every thread needs to be turned into the exact same discussion. Keep it on topic.
ElephasMaximus
Well-Known Member
Two questions: 1) do people here think it's at all likely for zoos in NZ, or for that matter Australasia as a whole, to start displaying more animals from temperate climates? 2) If so, what animals and biomes do you think they'd focus on?
Interesting question!
The New Zealand climate is ideal, but I’m inclined to say not given the strong focus on African and South East Asian species.
Historically, North American species like Puma, Grey wolves, American black bears, Bobcat, North American beaver, badgers, foxes etc have been common throughout the region’s zoos, but these have all been phased out for various reasons - including priority being given to endangered and critically endangered species.
North America bison are one that persist. Hamilton and Orana hold them in New Zealand; but despite Auckland holding them historically, I don’t envisage a return due to space constraints and other species taking priority.
ElephasMaximus
Well-Known Member
I'd love to see something like a Rocky Mountains exhibit with animals like Bison, wolves, bears and bobcats, but you're right that it seems unlikely that any zoo in the region is likely to go for this in the future. It takes a lot of time and money to import these species from halfway across the world, and a lot of these creatures are neither endangered themselves nor code as exotic to Australasian zoo-goers - despite their absence from our countries. We also have the added snag that most small mammalian carnivores would be banned for biosecurity reasons, and a lot of hoofstock would probably face similar restrictions to protect our agricultural industry.
If there is to be an increase in temperate exhibits and species n the region, it's likely to be based around Himalayan and Central Asian animals. I remember the new IHS for zoo equids in NZ allows for the import of Przewalski's horses.
Osedax
Well-Known Member
I remember in the planning stages of Sydney Zoo, a future precinct that was planned was "Rocky Mountains". It would probably have just been some bison and maybe wapiti though.
ElephasMaximus
Well-Known Member
Where did you find info about Sydney Zoo's planning stages? I'm designing a speculative zoo set in New Zealand right now, and early ideas for Sydney Zoo might be good inspiration.
Osedax
Well-Known Member
I believe it may have been on their website; this was around 2017.
ElephasMaximus
Well-Known Member
Ah, so nothing still accessible? Well, that's a shame.
Plans from 2016 only show four areas; African Savannah, South East Asian Rainforest, Primates and Australian Bush.
It's interesting as I too don't remember a Rocky Mountains themed precinct, and it makes me wonder what they had in mind. Obviously as a region we don't have access to a lot of those keystone North American species that you would find in a similar precinct in a US zoo.
ElephasMaximus
Well-Known Member
In my own attempts to design a new New Zealand zoo, it tends to end up with a similar-ish layout to Sydney Zoo, because there's only so much you can actually do exhibit-wise with the species we currently keep or are allowed to import into the region. I suspect that if anyone tried to set up another new zoo in the region in real life, it'd end up looking pretty similar to Sydney Zoo as well.
Here’s a map from 2017/2018 (pre-opening):
I’ll be honest, a Rocky Mountains precinct with Bison and deer would have been a poor choice. It’d take up a lot of room and neither of these species are considered crowd-pullers.
Common hippopotamus was part of the original plans, but canned due to a lack of availability (and replaced with Capybara in these plans).
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Gorillas were also similarly planned, and are even shown here on this map next to the Chimps. They too were canned for the same reason - lack of availability, and were later replaced by Melbourne's trio of Orangutans who were transferred across instead.
I’ve found a 2016/2017 map (with Asian water buffalo replacing Common hippopotamus); but what intrigues me the most is the inclusion of some sort of bear (below the space marked ‘Exhibition Space’:
From the rough attempts to draw the icons to scale, this appears to be a sun bear (which also ties in with them being the regional focus species). Another species clearly canned due to lack of availability.
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Osedax
Well-Known Member
The Rocky Mountains area wasn't planned to be present at opening, but part of a proposed part 2 and 3 alongside a South American Pampas with Maned Wolves, and other things such as onsite accommodation. Presumably they were planning to expand more into the surrounding parkland.
On one of these original maps, bison were also planned to replace hippopotamus alongside capybara. Capybara do now of course inhabit part of the area that was originally planned for hippos, with the rest of the paddock housing dromedaries.
I remember seeing a plan that had both orangs and gorillas, as well as chimps.
Sri Lankan Leopard is another species that was in the original plans but was never acquired.
Also interesting to note is that the Australian section was originally planned to be more locally-focused. It was going to be called the "Cumberland Plains Bushwalk" and was planned to show species that would have inhabited the local area before European colonisation. Instead of Kangaroo Island and Red Kangaroos, and Yellow-footed Rock Wallabies, there would have been Eastern Grey Kangaroos and Brush-tailed Rock Wallabies. Not sure why these plans didn't come to fruition; perhaps KI Roos and YF Rock wallabies were just easier to acquire.
Yes, it was Sun Bear, planned to be housed in the site of the current red panda exhibits.
(Sorry, this is probably getting a bit off topic for this thread)